According to the wire service, Seau's family accuses the NFL of "acts or omissions" that "hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head."

As we've reported, Seau committed suicide last May and a postmortem study of his brain by the National Institutes of Health found that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease associated with receptive injuries to the head.

The AP reports that the family also included the helmet manufacturer Riddell Inc. in the suit, claiming it was "negligent in their design, testing, assembly, manufacture, marketing, and engineering of the helmets."

The AP adds:

"'We were saddened to learn that Junior, a loving father and teammate, suffered from CTE,' the family said in a statement released to the AP. 'While Junior always expected to have aches and pains from his playing days, none of us ever fathomed that he would suffer a debilitating brain disease that would cause him to leave us too soon.

"'We know this lawsuit will not bring back Junior. But it will send a message that the NFL needs to care for its former players, acknowledge its decades of deception on the issue of head injuries and player safety, and make the game safer for future generations.'"

NFL.com reports that the NFL has repeatedly denied these kinds of accusations. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the website that the league's attorney would review the lawsuit and "respond to the claims appropriately through the court."